America250PA Festivities Starting In Yardley. Find Out The Gather Place's Role

YARDLEY, PA — The Gather Place Museum will kick off a year-long celebration leading up to America's 250th anniversary in 2026 with a special preview of upcoming events on Saturday.

The Gather Place Museum will spotlight untold American stories and history makers, including African American and women’s history, Quaker heritage, the Underground Railroad, and the vibrant local history of Bucks County.

The event is from 2-4 p.m. Saturday at the Yardley Friends Meeting at 65 N. Main St.

Organizers said the event promises to be fun and engaging way to explore America’s 250 years of resilience, justice, and freedom with our “History Hunt for ME” activity — a family scavenger hunt across time and place, perfect for history detectives of all ages.

Light refreshments will also be served. Top participants will win door prizes.

Attendees will also get a chance to meet community members, learn about volunteer opportunities, and get involved as a reenactor, docent, or event supporter.

The Gather Place Museum has received a $20,000 Semiquincentennial Grant from America250PA, which will help support the museum’s program.

That program is called "Celebrating 250 Years of American Resilience – Yardley Borough, Bucks County, and Beyond: A Legacy of Justice and Equality."

Museum Conservator Shirley Corsey said the program showcases the region’s profound historical contributions to the nation’s founding principles of freedom and equality.

With the grant, Gather Place is now an official statewide non-profit affiliate of America250PA and participates with Bucks 250PA, the countywide initiative commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, as well.

Headquartered in the historic African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church of Yardley (est. 1877), Gather Place Museum’s history is deeply rooted in Yardley Borough’s Quaker heritage.

The property, originally part of the Yardley family estate and historically known as the Boatyard Lot, dates back to the village’s founding in 1682 by Quaker William Yeardley.

In 1817, a hay press barn existed on this site and served as a gathering place for African American worshippers, leading to the establishment of the "Free Peoples Church," later known as "The Colored Church" (est. 1817).

This space became a hub for its worshippers and likely played a role in Yardley Borough’s Underground Railroad network.

Today, this sacred landmark is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and recognized by the Bucks County Heritage Conservancy, honoring its enduring legacy as a cornerstone of freedom and resilience.

Under the stewardship of Corsey, a third-generation Yardley Borough resident and the AME Church of Yardley’s conservator since July 2022, Gather Place Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich cultural heritage of African Americans in the region.